Mop frame and handle assembly



May 1, 1962 E. WILEY ETAL 3,031,707

MOP FRAME AND HANDLE ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 22, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS LE E..WILE.Y

HAQQLD L.MEL D2.UM

May 1, 1962 L. E. WILEY ETAL MOP FRAME AND HANDLE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 22, 1960 M s u s R 2 E W m a W m wo E T n T WL W 0 2 A F fi, L B

United States Pater,

MOP FRAME AND HANDLE ASSEMBLY LeoE. Wiley, Hayward, Calif. (16112 Hesperian, San Lorenzo, Calif.), and Harold L. Meldrum, Hayward,

Calif. (444 Bancroft Ave., San Lorenzo, Calif.)

Filed Dec. 22, 1960, Ser. No. 77,676 1 Claim. (Cl. 15147) This invention relates to a novel and improved frame and handle assembly for mops and the like.

The'primary object of the invention is the provision of an assembly of the kind indicated which is designed to reach a mop or the like, secured on its frame, more easily and effectively into inaccessible places, such as corners of floor areas to be mopped, and beneath closely overhanging objects, the handle of the assembly being swivelly connected to the frame for reciprocating the frame relative to a surface to be cleaned, such as a floor, with the handle rotated relative to the frame and extending either laterally or longitudinally relative to the frame, and with the handle disposed at any desired angle rela: tive to the frame, through an arc of substantially 180".

Another object of the invention is the provision of a rugged and mechanically superior assembly of the character indicated above, which meets the heavy duty service requirements of commercial cleaning operations.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an assembly of the character indicated above, wherein the service unit which connects the handle to the frame is of novel and more rugged serviceable construction, and

is composed of a small number of simple and easily assembled parts, certain of the parts being readily replaceable when worn, so as to eliminate the cost and labor involved in replacing the entire unit when such parts become worn.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings: 7

FIGUREVI is a perspective view of an assembly of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of said assembly; v 3

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the assembly, the handle being broken away;

FIGURE 4 is a contracted vertical transverse view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 4: and,

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated assembly comprises a frame 10, a handle 12, and a swivel unit 14 which connects the handle 12 to the frame 10.

The frame is a longitudinally elongated open oblong form composed of straight parallel side members 16 which are connected together, at their ends, by arcuate end members 18. A pair of laterally spaced parallel transverse cross bars 20 extend between and are fixed to the side members 16, at the middle of the frame, and a longitudinal axle 22 extends between and is fixed, at its ends, to the, cross bars 20 and is parallel to and equidis tantly spaced from the side members 16.

The axle 22 is a component of the swivel unit 14,

which further comprises an elongated journal sleeve-24' which is rotatably circumposed on the axle 22 and has 3,031,707 Patented May '1, 1962 relative to the inner sides of the cross bars 20. A U-shaped yoke 28 has an arcuate bight portion 30 conformably engaged with and suitably fixed to a side of the middle of the journal sleeve 24, and flat parallel legs 32 which extend equidistantly beyond the opposite side of the sleeve and have free ends 34 near which the legs 32 are formed with aligned bolt holes 36, which accommodate the shank 38 of a machine pivot bolt 40.

The swivel unit 14 further comprises a cylindrical head 42 having an axial bore 44, rotatably' receiving the bolt shank 38, and squared ends 46 which bear against the inward sides of the yoke legs 32. A radial shank 48 is fixed, at one end, to the middle of the head 42, and has an enlarged diameter flat cylindrical disc 50 fixed axially on its other end, and serving as the connection between the swivel unit 14, and the handle assembly 12.

The handle 12 is preferably straight and provided on its rear end with a hand-grip cap- 52. The handle has a reduced diameter forward end portion 54, on which is circumposed a rigid metal coupling tube 56, which reaches forwardly beyond the forward end 58 of'the reduced end portion 54. The coupling tube 56 is fixed axially to the cylindrical disc 50, as by insertion of the disc in the open forward end of the tube, and securement of the disc therein, as by means of welding 62.

In use and operation, a mop or the like (not shown) being secured to and around the frame 10, and the frame and mop being applied flatwise to a surface to be cleaned, the frame can be reciprocated on such surface, either endwise or crosswise, or at any desired angles, in order to reach relatively inaccessible areas, by rotating the handle 12-to any desired vertical angle, on the axis of the axle 22, as indicated in FIGURE 4, through an arc of substantially or to any desired horizontal angle, on the axis of the pivot bolt 40, through an arc of at least 180, and to any desired vector angles between the vertical and the horizontal.

Although there has been shown and described herein a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and

that any change or changes in the structure of and in' (0) a longitudinal, substantially cylindrical, axle extending between and fixed to the cross-bars;

(d) the axle, cross-bars, and frame being substantially coplanar;

(e) a tubular journal sleeve having a horizontal major axis and being rotatably circumposed on said axle;

(f) a yoke, including a bight portion and spaced legs, the bight portion secured to the journal sleeve and the legs extending outwardly on opposing sides thereof;

(g) a substantially cylindrical head positioned between the legs, the head having a horizontal bore therein the axis of which is perpendicular to the axis of the journal sleeve;

(h) a pivot extending between the legs and through the bore of said head, whereby the head is pivotally 3 4 secured to the legs for swinging movement in at 714,089 Wurm Nov. 18, 1902 least a 180 arcyand 1,143,528 Fry June 15, 1915 (i) handle means secured to the head. 2,310,011 Cave et a1. Feb. 2, 1943 2,755,495 Park July 24, 1956 References Cited in the file of this patent 5 2,861,287 Scalf Nov. 25, 1958 UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 634,617 Hansen 061. 10, 1899 211,770 Australia Aug. 29, 1957 

